An insight on Queen Elizabeth National Park
Close to 100 species of mammals and about 606 types of birds dwell within this park and among them is are the: large schools of hippos, large forest hogs and the good-look Uganda kobs which are all commonly seen in the tourist villages on the magnificent Mweya Peninsula which prides in a beautiful waterfront locale within the shadows of Mountain Rwenzori. However, the isolated Ishasha Sector is prominent for the resident tree-climbing lions, the Maramagambo forest is habitat to an attractive diversity of monkeys plus birds, the crater lakes hold thousands of the beautiful pink flamingoes, while the Kyambura Gorges is habitat to habituated Chimpanzees.
Day 1: Kampala- Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early breakfast, one of our guides will collect you from your accommodation in Kampala by 8:00am and drive you to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will make a few stops at the Equator to take some photographs and in Mbarara at Agip Motel for lunch. from there you will continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park as you marvel at the breath taking scenery, tea plantations, the open grasslands, long horned –Ankole Cattle, the woodlands and the Rift Valley Escarpment. Have a game drive in the evening as you drive t your place of accommodation. Dine and slumber at Ihamba Safari Lodge (Budget), or Mweya Safari Lodge (top-notch). Meal plan: Lunch & Dinner.
Day 2: Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda Safari
Start the day with an early cup tea/coffee before embarking on a game drive along the Queen’s Mile plus the Kasenyi trail. On this trail you will see elephants, water bucks, lions, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs plus warthogs in addition to several birds. Return for breakfast plus lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, enjoy a 2 hours boat ride on the Kazinga Channel where you will encounter Buffaloes, Elephants, Hippos, kobs plus warthogs among others. This ride will also enable you to see an array of birds. Dine and slumber at Ihamba Safari Lodge (Budget), or Mweya Safari Lodge (top-notch). Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 3: Queen Elizabeth- Entebbe
With wonderful memories of the previous day, you will have a hefty breakfast as you prepare for a primate walk; have lunch at the splendid Kingfisher lodge before continuing to Entebbe. However, visiting the Igongo Cultural Village is an experience that shouldn’t be missed. Meal plan: breakfast & lunch.
The 3 Day Queen Elizabeth safari package to include:
• Transportation by a 4 x 4 vehicle from Entebbe International airport and back
• En-route lunches
• 2 hours boat ride on the Kazinga channel..
• Driver or guide’s subsistence allowance
• Park fees
• A primate walk in the company of a guide on the Kyambura gorge
• Igongo Cultural visit
• Ranger/guide fees
• Game drives
• Full Board (FB) accommodation as per each listed itinerary
Nevertheless, the package excludes personal expenses such as laundry, drinks, telephone, tips, cigars and many others.
MORE ABOUT THE PARK & BOOKING INFORMATION
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers an area of about 1978 km2; its position provides a magnificent view of the rift valley floor that occupies Lake Edward and Gorge. Its well know to be habitat of about 95 mammal along with 612 species of birds.Formerly,a historian known as Douglas Willocks talked about the various features that led to the formation of the park in 1952.
The area was strategically located with a stunning view of Mount Rwenzori, the plains and the composite jagged mass of mountains that are good for activities such as hiking.
On the other side of Lake Edward, there is a famous hill known as Mitumbe that look out to Congo. Its beauty is signified with changing colors from blue to green, with gentle slopes, distant and this makes it become the center of darkness in Africa. The eastern part of the park is characterized with peaceful green escarpment that is acquired from the western rift valley. The features are all covered with savannah making it a beautiful place full of nature euphorbia trees.
The park is so extensive further more adjacent to the other protected areas. For instance Kigezi covering an area about 256km2 and Kyambura with about 154km2 wildlife set a side. The other areas include Kalinzu Forest reserve that adjoins to DRC with about 200km2 along Virunga National Park. Rwenzori National Park is about a few Kilometers to the North.
Queen Elizabeth National Park has one of the highest bio diversity ratings of any national park in the world, over 500 different bird species and about 100 mammal species.
The grassland plains supports a variety of wildlife safari animals which can be viewed from a vehicle on the network of tracks designated in the park. About 20 predators are found in the park such as lions, leopards, side stripped jackal and spotted hyena among others.
Common Antelopes species include the kob, bush buck, topi and water buck. Other animals which can even be found at mweya peninsular are;Buffaloes, elephants, warthogs and hippos. There are also various primate species are available in the park including chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkey, black and white colobus monkey, olive baboons among others. The Ishasha sector is famously known for its tree climbing lions and it is also known to host the world’s highest concentration of hippos.